Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c5.s1.12

c5.s1.12

These ascetics indulged in certain activities which according to the principles of Mahāvīra constituted preliminary sin (*sārambha*); they put on clothes (*sapariggaha*) and also practised *Jiṇakappa* (adopting the standard of *Jina*) towards the end of their life. We are told that thera Municanda placed his disciple at the head of the *gaccha* and went to practise *Jiṇakappa* outside the town. Good feeling towards all beings (*satta-bhāvanā*) and five kinds of meditations (*bhāvanā*) are prescribed for the ascetic who wanted to practise *Jiṇakappa*. The five meditations are penance (*tava*), fearlessness (*satta*), study of scriptures (*sutta*), concentration (*egatta*) and spiritual strength (*bala*) which should be practised inside and outside the monastery (*uvasaya*), a square road (*caukka*), a solitary house (*sunnaghara*) or in a cemetery.¹³ Then we hear of Vijayā and Pagabbhā, the two female disciples of Pārśva (*pāsantevāsiniō*), who saved Mahāvīra and Gosāla in Kūviya Sannivesa.¹⁴